The Jefferson Hotel

Overview

When Charles Dana Gibson and Irene Langhorne--better known as the Gibson Girl--hosted their engagement party on Halloween 1895, little did they know that their nuptial celebration would be the first in a long legacy of events at Richmond’s most revered hotel, The Jefferson. It opened that All Hollow’s Eve over 100 years ago, and from that moment it was a sight to behold.

The facade blends Beaux Arts and Renaissance Revival architectural styles--an eclectic mix of Spanish Revival, Italianate, Palladian, and Classical Revival. Walk inside and a life-sized Carrara marble statue of Thomas Jefferson, created by famed sculptor Edward V. Valentine, stands in the lobby, flanked by faux marble columns, a Tiffany stained-glass skylight, and a grand staircase rumored to have been the inspiration for the staircase in Gone With the Wind.

Fish and alligators once swum in the ponds in Palm Court, but today’s hotel does not rely on the unusual to attract its clientele. The hotel’s guestrooms and suites come in different styles, outfitted with high ceilings, large windows, and custom furnishings. A full-service health club is on-site, and the Jefferson Hotel also boasts one of Richmond’s finest restaurants, Lemaire.

The list of celebrities and notable guests that have visited here is extensive, including 12 U.S. Presidents, Charles Lindberg, Henry Ford, Charlie Chaplain, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Anthony Hopkins, Whoopi Goldberg, Cindy Crawford, and Prince, to name a few. But guests need not be political or Hollywood royalty to stay here. Just simply have to have affection for the best that Richmond has to offer.

When the Jefferson reopened in 1907, it was enlarged and offered novel features including fish and alligator ponds in the Palm Court until 1948.

The Gilded Age, 1866 ~ 1895

When Charles Dana Gibson and Irene Langhorne--better known as the Gibson Girl--hosted their engagement party on Halloween 1895, little did they know that their nuptial celebration would be the first in a long legacy of events at Richmond’s most revered hotel, The Jefferson.